Twice-Deported Felon Flies Drone Over World Cup Fan Zone, Arrested in Atlanta
Federal agents arrested a twice-deported Mexican felon who illegally flew a drone over restricted airspace at Atlanta's FIFA World Cup Fan Festival, exposing vulnerabilities in immigration enforcement and prompting a nationwide counter-drone crackdown.
Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez crossed into the United States illegally for the third time, evaded detection, then flew a drone over thousands of spectators at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Atlanta — until federal agents caught him on June 12.
The 37-year-old Mexican national had already been deported twice. His first removal came in 2013. A second deportation followed in 2019, after convictions that included cocaine distribution. Yet he found his way back across the border again, operating a drone over Centennial Olympic Park while thousands gathered for the soccer celebration.
The arrest exposes what immigration advocates for stronger enforcement have warned for years: unchecked illegal entry puts Americans at direct risk.
Federal agents approached Rojas-Martinez in a parking lot near the festival. They had observed his drone operation and requested identification. A routine check immediately revealed his unlawful presence and extensive criminal record. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took him into custody the following day.
"This criminal illegal alien dangerously flew a drone in restricted airspace near a FIFA event in Atlanta, Georgia," Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis said June 18. "His lengthy criminal history includes drug trafficking, stolen property, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and driving under the influence. The Trump Administration will not allow illegal aliens to threaten the safety and security of the American people."
Rojas-Martinez now faces federal charges for operating a drone in a temporary flight restricted zone and illegal reentry by a removed alien. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper is prosecuting the case.
The drone itself carried a camera. Rojas-Martinez recorded video of the event from a one-nautical-mile restricted zone that the Federal Aviation Authority had established for June 11-15. The FAA had set strict no-drone zones around all 11 U.S. World Cup venues, with stadium restrictions covering a three-nautical-mile radius up to 3,000 feet.
Operating drones over major public gatherings endangers spectators. Unauthorized flights can carry weapons, create midair collisions, or simply panic crowds numbering in the tens of thousands.
"Unauthorized drone operations in restricted airspace present a serious risk to public safety, particularly during major international events such as the FIFA World Cup," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated June 16.
Rojas-Martinez's case did not stand alone. The arrest forms part of a massive nationwide counter-drone crackdown during the World Cup. Between June 11 and 16, DHS tracked 145 drone incursions across eight host cities. Atlanta recorded the highest number at 36.
Federal agents mitigated 55 drones nationwide and seized 39. Eleven came from Atlanta alone.
"FBI Atlanta's Counter UAV Task Force has seized 21 drones, including Rojas-Martinez's," FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said. "As these operators are putting the community at risk, our Ground Intercept Teams will continue to locate operators, seize drones, and pursue prosecution of those who violate the restricted airspace in place around FIFA World Cup activities."
By June 18, the Atlanta task force had seized 26 drones in total. The federal response draws authority from the Safer Skies Act, which Congress passed in December 2025 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The law allows up to five years in prison for subsequent drone violations in restricted airspace.
Sixty trained counter-drone officers now deploy across all 11 U.S. World Cup host cities. The administration treats emerging aerial threats with the same seriousness as ground-level security risks.
"Every major public gathering, from a World Cup match to an America 250 celebration, is now a drone environment," FBI Assistant Director Devin Kowalski said earlier this month. "The public expects and deserves those skies to be watched."
The enforcement action against Rojas-Martinez reflects a broader shift in federal immigration policy. The Justice Department's "Operation Take Back America," which Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche established in March 2025, prioritizes the repulsion of illegal immigration. The initiative marks a sharp departure from the permissive policies that allowed Rojas-Martinez to remain free and re-enter repeatedly despite his criminal history.
His pattern of illegal entries traces back to 1999, when he first crossed the border illegally through Texas. Deportation followed in 2013. He returned, committed crimes including cocaine distribution, and faced a second deportation in 2019. A third illegal entry at an unknown date brought him to Atlanta.
Homeland Security data shows the administration's enforcement approach produced measurable results. More than 675,000 illegal aliens faced deportation in 2025. An estimated 2.2 million self-deportations brought the total removals to nearly 3 million.
Border Patrol apprehensions dropped to 90,084 in the administration's first year. The previous administration recorded a monthly average of 155,485.
The crackdown extends beyond drone operations and illegal reentry. During 2025 alone, ICE arrested 43,305 potential national security risks. The agency has cumulatively arrested 1,416 known or suspected terrorists, removing 1,392. Gang arrests exceeded 7,000. ICE increased its workforce by 120 percent, adding 12,000 new hires to support these operations.
"FBI arrested an illegal alien flying a drone in restricted airspace near FIFA World Cup Fan Fest — well done FBI Atlanta," FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media June 17. "Our teams all over the country continue working 24/7 with interagency partners protecting the games — this FBI will pursue and bring to justice ANY criminal actor who targets the events."
This enforcement action reflects the coordinated efforts of federal and local partners working to detect, disrupt, and deter unlawful activity that could endanger spectators, athletes, and first responders, Hertzberg emphasized.
Rojas-Martinez's story illustrates a simple truth: when borders remain open to those who should never return, families watching a soccer match in Centennial Olympic Park become the unintended victims of policy failure. His arrest signals that the federal government now treats such threats with the urgency they demand.